Cops foil daring robbery

Five bags containing $91,000 and US$6,000, which were stolen during a daring early morning robbery at the Westmoorings branch of Hi-Lo Food Stores, were recovered by the police. Three suspects were detained. A police constable from the Inter Agency Task Force who, along with two other police officers and two army officers, responded to the robbery report, suffered slight injuries when their army jeep overturned in the vicinity of West Mall. The constable was treated at hospital and discharged. The drama started around 7.30 am, when two bandits dressed in red Hi-Lo jerseys, which are normally worn by Hi-Lo employees, entered the Westmoorings branch of the supermarket minutes before it was opened for business at around 7.50 am.

The two bandits were allowed into the supermarket by the guard because of the Hi-Lo uniforms they wore. Reports revealed that the two men, one armed with a gun, held up supervisor Kenneth Phillip and beat him on the head with the gun. They then forced him into a room where the vault is located, and ordered him to open it. The bandits took several bags of money which were in the vault and then ordered six employees into a computer room and ordered them to hand over cash, jewelry and cell phones. They then ordered them to lie on the floor and attempted to escape by shooting open a padlock at a door located at the rear of the building. When this failed, they ran to the front of the building and ran away. An employee called E-999 and the Four Roads Police who responded promptly to the report. They saw the two men running in front of West Mall and held one of them.
Snr Supt Lennox Gonzales and others chased the other suspect, who was held at  Phase Two Powder Magazine. Five bags containing the cash were recovered. A man who was hired to drive the getaway car was held at the West Mall car park. The suspects ages 21, 22 and 27 from Aranjuez, Morvant and Pt Lisas were up until late yesterday being interviewed at the Four Roads Police Station.

A National Security helicopter also responded to the robbery report. One of the three suspects has matters pending in court for various offences. Police officers yesterday returned to Powder Magazine and searched for more of the money which was stolen. Nothing else was recovered. A manager at Hi- Lo, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that an investigation has been launched into how the bandits were able to secure authentic Hi-Lo jerseys. The manager added that the money stolen yesterday was supposed to be used to run the daily operations at the store. The police were praised for their quick response, which led to the arrest of the suspects and the recovery of the cash. At the scene of the robbery yesterday, Hi-Lo was closed for business as police investigators carried out investigations into the matter. Several employees expressed shock and alarm over the situation, while those who were robbed were counselled. The supervisor, who was beaten on the head, was treated at hospital and warded. Late yesterday, a party of officers led by Sgt Stephen Ramsubhag and others from the Four Roads Police Station were carrying out extensive investigations into the matter.